Postgraduate researcher development

We’re committed to supporting the personal and professional development of our postgraduate researchers and do so with world-class, award-winning resources.

We aim to equip our postgraduate researchers with the skills, attributes and knowledge to thrive as independent researchers and professionals. This commitment is supported at the highest level.

Skills training has always been important for researchers and never more so than today. While researchers must have knowledge and skills in their own research area, they must also master the critical skills of communications (via multiple routes and to multiple audiences), team-working, leadership, critical thinking and much more. All of these are essential for a successful researcher but also for the many other career paths that researchers may choose to take and for success in life in general.

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of Manchester

The range of personal, professional and career development opportunities offered to all postgraduate researchers at the University is extensive. Programmes of training are tailored to the individual needs of the postgraduate researcher, and reviewed each year in consultation with the researcher’s supervisory team.

Postgraduate researchers can access training in their home Faculty offered by dedicated researcher development teams, as well as an extensive range of workshops, courses and careers guidance offered centrally by our professional support services.

Find out more about the training available to postgraduate researchers at The University of Manchester: